Bulb socket with hanger

ABSTRACT

The bulb socket is unitarily formed with first and second fingers joined to the socket at the front thereof, and extending rearward past the socket to face each other. The fingers are resilient to resiliently clamp a small structure on which the bulb socket is to be hung between one of the fingers and the socket body or to clamp a larger structure from which the bulb socket is to be hung between the two fingers behind the socket body.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,559,706 7/1951 Brooks [72] Inventor WilliflmLEckles 1117 S. Cambridge St., Anaheim, Calif. 92805 [2]] Appl. No. 26,192

LL 99 99 ll 99 33 33 2,636,069 4/1953 Gilbert Primary Examiner.loseph H. McGlynn Attorney-Allen A. Dicke, Jr.

ABSTRACT: The bulb socket is unitarilt' formed with first and second fingers joined to the socket at the front thereof, and extending rearward past the socket to face each other. The

[22] Filed Apr. 7, 1970 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 [54] BULB SOCKET WITH HANGER 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Fig.

339/99 L, fingers are resilient to resiliently clamp 21 small structure on which the bulb socket is to be hung between one of the fingers and the socket body or to clamp a larger structure from which the bulb socket is to be hung between the two fingers behind the socket body.

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Ade/v77 BULB SOCKET WITH HANGER BACKGROUND This invention is directed to a bulb socket, and particularly to a bulb socket which has integrally formed fingers thereon for the hanging of the bulb socket.

It is a customary practice by many to hang colored decorative lights at Christmastime. Strings of lights are provided for this particular purpose. Readily and economically constructed lamp sockets, such as are shown in Gilbert Pat. No. 2,636,069, have been especially designed to permit the economic construction of a string of lights so that they can be widely employed. Other patents, such as Judson Pat. No. 2,642,56l; Eckstein Pat. No. 1,625,248; Benander Pat. No. 2,299,733; and Imre Pat. No. 3,340,390, have devices attached to the bulb socket to aid in the attachment of the socket to various support structures. These prior art patents teach fairly small devices for clipping the lamp socket onto the supporting structure. This is because such strings of ornamental and decorative colored lights are principally employed in the United States as decoration for trees. Thus, the attachment devices on the bulb sockets are directed principally to attachment of the bulb socket to small branches. However, they are completely unsuitable for attachment of the bulb sockets to larger branches or other larger structures, such as the fascia boards along the eaves of houses.

In some sections of the country, especially in those where trees are not as readily grown, and in areas where the outside of the house is desired to be decorated, such strings of light bulbs are employed for attachment along various parts of houses. Outlining of the eaves, windows and doorways is often accomplished. However, the prior bulb socket attachment devices have been unsuitable for attachment of strings and sockets to these structures. Thus, it is common to drive nails into houses and hang the strings therefrom. The use of nails is unsightly and promotes rust staining. Accordingly, a bulb socket hanger of more broad utility than those presently available is required.

SUMMARY In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a bulb socket with a hanger. The bulb socket is integrally formed with first and second fingers which extend rearwardly from their mounting at the front of the bulb socket, to extend past the back of the bulb socket to face each other, to thus provide opposed engagement faces between the fingers and the bulb socket, as well as between the fingers where they extend rearwardly past the rear of the bulb socket body. The bulb socket and fingers are preferably integrally formed of resilient injection moldable material so that they can be produced economically in quantity.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a bulb socket which has a hanger integrally formed therewith. It is a further object to provide such a hanger which is integrally formed with the bulb socket, by injection molding the bulb socket aNd hanger from resilient synthetic polymer composition material. It is a further object to provide a hanger in the form of first and second fingers which are joined to the bulb socket at the front of the bulb socket, which fingers extend rearwardly adjacent the sides of the bulb socket to serve as clamps with respect thereto, and extend rearwardly at the back of the bulb socket to act as clamp members facing each other.

It is another object to provide a bulb socket with an integrally formed hanger, which hanger is capable of clamping on a wide range of sizes of supports. It is a further object to provide a bulb socket hanger which can engage small tree branches, or regular fascia boards on houses. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following portion of the specification, the claims and the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of a plurality of the bulb sockets with hanger of this invention shown attached to a fascia board.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the bulb sockets with hanger of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the bulb socket with hanger of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a front-end view of the bulb socket, seen generally along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side-elevational view of one of the electric contacts employed in the bulb socket.

FIG. 7 is a side-elevational view of the other electric contact used in the bulb socket.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the plug which holds the wire against the electric contacts.

DESCRIPTION The bulb socket with hanger of this invention is generally indicated at 10 in FIGS. 1 through 5. In FIG. 1, a series of the units of the bulb socket with hanger 10 is illustrated as mounted along electric wire 12. The wire 12 is provided with a male plug 14 so that the wire can be energized from any convenient receptacle.

In FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the unit 10 is illustrated as having a bulb socket body 16in which is located a bulb-receiving recess 18. The mouth of the recess comprises taper 20, preferably to such dimensions as to fairly closely fit around the globes of a Christmas treeshaped bulb 24, see FIG. 2, to minimize the entry of foreign material into the interior of recess 18. While watertight sealing is not considered necessary, a fairly small opening around the globe of the lamp aids in both appearance and protection of the socket and the contact therein. This is especially true, since most bulb sockets hung with Christmas tree-type bulbs therein are hung with the bulb in a downwardly directed position. This further protects the socket recess, so that a tight seal is not necessary.

Bulb-retaining means 22 is positioned in recess 18. As illustrated, the bulb-retaining means 22 is in the form of a screw thread which is of such dimension as to accept the conventional threaded base on a Christmas tree-type bulb. Such bulbs are available in severalstandard sizes and the bulb socket with hangerunit 10 of this invention can be built to accept any one of those sizes. The screw threads are preferably integrally molded into the mouth of recess 18 in socket body 16. Instead of such molded-in threads, a tubular metallic insert having screw threads therein can be inserted into the mouth of recess 18. In such a case, the tubular metallic insert acts as one of the electrical connections to the bulb-retaining means 22, as is conventional practice. On the other hand, the bulb-retaining means 22 can be in the form of resilient molded-in flanges positioned axially of recess 18 and of such dimensions and of such resiliency as to frictionally engage the sides of the bulb base to retain the bulb in place. These flanges can extend radially inward from the wall of recess 18, and deflect as a built base is inserted therein. However, in view of manufacturing tolerances, it is more convenient for the flanges to extend inwardly from the walls of recess 18 at an angle between radial and tangent to the base of the bulb. In this way, the flanges are bent sideways of the flange, as the bulb is inserted. Furthermore, the resiliency of these flanges can be such as to permit them to engage somewhat between the screw threads on the base of the bulb to retain the bulb in place. Any convenient and economic bulb-retaining means 22 can be employed.

The back 28 of socket body I6'has a slot 26 therethrough. Slot 26 extends entirely through the back 28 and part way down the sidewalls of socket body 16 to terminate at stop 30. Since slot 26 extends transversely across socket body 16, it can accept the electric wire 12, as shown in FIG. 3. Plug 32, see FIGS. 3 and 8, is of such size as to enter slot 26. It extends from one side of the body to the other so that the portion of the slot 26 through back 28 and much of the slot in the sidewalls of socket body 16 are closed. However, sufficient opening is left in the sidewalls to permit the wire 12 to extend therebetween, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Plug 32 has lock stops 34 along the outer sides thereof. These stops are in position to engage interiorly of back 28, as seen in FIG. 3, to retain the plug 32 in place. Plug 32 is made of resilient material, preferably a resilient grade of injection-moldable thermoplastic synthetic polymer composition material and is sufficiently resilient to be insertable into slot 26 to close the slot. Plug 32 is made hollow, in order to aid in its resiliency and conserve materials.

While only one is shown in FIG. 3, on account of it being in section, the interior wall of recess 18, at each end of slot 26, is provided with an axial slot 36. Each of the slots 36 is in the form of a T-slot, wherein the edges of a fiat blade can be retained within the slot, but the center is exposed to the recess 18. Slots 36 are accessible to slot 26 so that a blade may be inserted through slot 26 into the axial slot 36.

Side electric contact 38 is inserted into the slot 36 illustrated in FIG. 3. Side electric contact 38 is best seen in F IG. 7, where it comprises a flat body 40 of corrosion-resistant resilient metallic material, such as spring brass. Contact 38 has a sharp point 42 asymmetrically positioned on one end thereof. Stamped out of the main side part of body 40 is side blade 44. Blade 44 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 as extending into the zone which would be occupied by the outside threaded cup on the base of a bulb when it is inserted therein. Thus, the blade 44 would go into electric contact with the side of such a bulb base.

On the side opposite electric contact 38 is tip electric contact 46, see FIG. 6. Contact 46 has a body 48 on which is integrally formed sharp point 50 which is asymmetrically position ed to extend into the wire 12 to engage the other electrical conductor therein. Tip contact 52 is bent from body 48, at substantially right angles with respect thereto. Body 48 is made of resilient, noncorrosive electrically conductive materia], such as spring brass.

The two electric contacts are assembled into socket body 16 through the open slot 26 into their respective axial slots 36. The electric contacts are, thus, assembled into socket body 16 and retained in their axial slots 36. The electric contacts are designed so that their side blade 44 and tip blade 52 extend toward the center of recess 18. When so positioned in the slots, the points 42 and. 50 are directed at the two different conductors in wire 12. Next, wire 12 is inserted into slot 26 and impaled upon points 42 and 50. Finally, plug 32 is inserted into slot 26 to retain the contacts and the wire in appropriate position, as well as close both of the slots 36.

This type of electric contact construction is generally shown in C. E. Gilbert Pat. No. 2,636,069, granted Apr. 21, 1953, the

entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. The present construction is somewhat different, particularly in the character of the socket body and in the character of plug 32. The present construction is preferred because of the more economic and convenient way of retaining the parts in their final position and closing the slot 26. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of the bulb socket units are preferably positioned along the length of the cord 12 so that a string of sockets and bulbs results. The units are preferably equally spaced along the length of cord 12, so that the cord serves as a spacing device as the units are hung.

resilient fingers 54 and 56. Resilient fingers 54 and 56 are integrally formed with socket body 16 and joined with the socket body 16 at the front end thereof, as is best seen in FIG. 3. The socket body is generally circular, but carries lugs 58 and 60 thereon, which respectively face the fingers 54 and 56. The lugs 58 and 60 have teeth 62 and 64 thereon. Similarly, the interior of the fingers 54 and 56 have teeth 66 and 68 thereon.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, fingers 54 and 56 are generally closer to each other adjacent the free rear end of the As understood from the above description, the front of the unit is the end into which the bulb is inserted, whilethe rear is the portion in which the fingers 54 and 56 are unattached.

The bulb socket body 16 with its integrally formed fingers 54 and 56 is made of appropriate material for injection molding. Furthermore, the material is of sufficient resiliency to permit fiexure of the fingers for clamping upon structures of various different thicknesses. For example, the spacing between the body 16 and the fingers is such that members of fairly small thickness can be engaged therebetween. The fingers 54 and 56, or one away the, can be bent away from the body so that a tapered space, larger to the rear, open end, is formed between the finger and the body so that a small tree branch or other small member can be grasped therebetween. Furthermore, the resiliency is such that the fingers can be bent out so that the space between one of the fingers in the body is at least as large as the undeflected space between the outer terminal ends of fingers 54 and 56.

Additionally, since the teeth 66 and 68 on the interiors of fingers 54 and 56 face each other beyond the rear of socket body 16, structures of greater thickness can be clasped therebetween. Structures from slightly larger than the dimension between the free ends of undeflected fingers 54 and 56, to structures thicker than the bulb socket body 16 can be grasped between the fingers. Then entire range of structures can be securely grasped by the fingers 54 and 56, either between themselves or between one of them and the body 16.

The manner in which a string of the units is employed depends upon the tastes and desires of the individual who uses them. Some people who employ such decorative strings of lights, particularly for Christmas ornamentation, in their decoration around the outside of a house, often hang them on trees and bushes. For this use, small branches of such trees and bushes can be clamped between the teeth on one of the fingers and the corresponding'side of the socket body. For larger branches they can be engaged between the teeth on the facing fingers behind the socket body. Thus, a wide range of versatility in the thickness of branches which can be engaged is obtained. Other people, perhaps in addition to or instead of decorating trees and bushes in the yard, attach such ornamental strings and lights to portions of the house. Illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a fascia board 70 to which the string is attached. The unit 10 is preferably dimensioned such that fascia boards having nominal dimensions of from 1 inch to 2 inches in thickness can be engaged by the fingers 54 and 56. Thus, such a string of units can be readily attached along the fascia board of a house to decorate the house. A series of such strings can be employed, as in conventional practice.

The unit of this invention is, thus, of such nature that it can be economically produced of suitable resilient synthetic polymer composition material which can be injection-molded for economic and rapid production. Furthermore, the number and complexity of parts is minimized, while the clamping ability of the fingers which are integrally formed with the socket Support of the units 10 is accomplished by means of 65 body provide a greater range of clamping than has previously been available. Thus, the economic and trouble-free unit which can be easily employed has been invented.

This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment, it is clear that it is susceptible to numerous modifications and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and without the exercise of the inventive faculty.

What I claim is:

l. A bulb socket with integral hanger means thereon for hanging the bulb socket, said bulb socket with hanger means thereon comprising:

a bulb socket body, an interior recess within said bulb socket body adapted to receive the base of an electric light bulb therein, first and second electric contact means for engaging the base of an electric bulb socket, said first and second electric contact means being electrically energizable, said recess entering said socket body from the front thereof, said socket body having a rear end opposite the front thereof;

an engagement surface on the exterior of said socket body between the front and rear thereof;

a first resilient finger integrally formed with said socket body and attached to said socket body adjacent the front end thereof and extending rearwardly past said engagement surface on said socket body and extending past the rear of said socket body;

a second finger integrally formed with said socket body and extending past the rear thereof, said second finger having an engagement surface thereon facing said first finger, said first finger having an engagement surface thereon facing said engagement surface on said socket body and said engagement surface on said second finger so that said first finger can be resiliently deflected to engage upon support means from which said bulb socket with hanger is to be hung selectively between said first finger and said socket body and said first and second fingers.

2. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 1 wherein said second finger is resilient and is integrally formed with said socket body and is secured thereto adjacent the front of said socket body, said first and second fingers when unstressed being spaced from said socket body and from each other.

3. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 2 wherein said socket body has a second finger and said second finger has an engagement surface thereon facing said second engagement surface on said socket bodyand said engagement surface on said first finger so that a member can be engaged between said second finger and said second engagement surface of said socket body.

4. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 3 wherein said fingers are curved toward each other from the front to rear thereof so that the free ends of said fingers at the rear thereof are closer together than the engagement surface on said fingers adjacent the front thereof whereat said fingers are secured to said socket body.

5. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 1 wherein said bulb socket has an opening at the rear thereof, first and second axial slots extending from the rear opening of said bulb socket axially along the walls of the recess in said bulb socket, said axial slots being partially open to said recess, said first and second electrical contact means being respectively in said first and second axial slots, and a plug in said rear opening.

6. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 5 wherein said plug is resilient and has lock stops thereon, said lock stops engaging on the interior of said socket body to retain said plug in said rear opening in said socket body.

7. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 6 wherein a twoconductor electric cord is positioned between said electric contacts and said plug, each of said electric contact means having a sharp point thereon engaging different ones of said conductors in said electric cord, so that said electric cord is maintained in place and in electric contact with said contact means by said plug.

8. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 7 wherein said second finger is resilient and is integrally formed with said socket body and is secured thereto adjacent the front of said socket body, said first and second fingers when unstressed being spaced from said socket body and from each other.

9. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 8 wherein said socket body has a second engagement surface thereon facing said second finger and said second finger has an engagement surface thereon facing said second engagement surface on said socket body and said engagement surface on said first finger so that a member can be engaged between said second finger and said second engagement surface on said socket id. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 9 wherein said fingers are curved toward each other from the front to rear thereof so that the free ends of said fingers at the rear thereof are closer together than the engagement surface on said fingers adjacent the front thereof whereat said fingers are secured to said socket boy.

11. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 10 wherein a plurality of said bulb sockets are spaced along the length of said electric cord.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 601 767 D d August 24 1971 Inventods) William J. Eckles It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 60, "aNd" should read and Column 2, line 59, "built" should read bulb line 71, "16" should read 26 Column 4, line 19, "or one away the" should read or one of them Column 5, line 32, after "second", first occurrence, insert engagement surface thereon facing said second line 36, "of" should read on Column 6, line 38, "boy" should read body Signed and sealed this 4th day of April 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents ORM F0-1050 [50-69) USCOMM-DC BO375-FJ59 n u 5 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I959 o-ass-su 

1. A bulb socket with integral hanger means thereon for hanging the bulb socket, said bulb socket with hanger means thereon comprising: a bulb socket body, an interior recess within said bulb socket body adapted to receive the base of an electric light bulb therein, first and second electric contact means for engaging the base of an electric bulb socket, said first and second electric contact means being electrically energizable, said recess entering said socket body from the front thereof, said socket body having a rear end opposite the front thereof; an engagement surface on the exterior of said socket body between the front and rear thereof; a first resilient finger integrally formed with said socket body and attached to said socket body adjacent the front end thereof and extending rearwardly past said engagement surface on said socket body and extending past the rear of said socket body; a second finger integrally formed with said socket body and extending past the rear thereof, said second finger having an engagement surface thereon facing said first finger, said first finger having an engagement surface thereon facing said engagement surface on said socket body and said engagement surface on said second finger so that said first finger can be resiliently deflected to engage upon support means from which said bulb socket with hanger is to be hung selectively between said first finger and said socket body and said first and second fingers.
 2. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 1 wherein said second finger is resilient and is integrally formed with said socket body and is secured thereto adjacent the front of said socket body, said first and second fingers when unstressed being spaced from said socket body and from each other.
 3. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 2 wherein said socket body has a second finger and said second finger has an engagement surface thereon facing said second engagement surface on said socket body and said engagement surface on said first finger so that a member can be engaged between said second finger and said second engagement surface of said socket body.
 4. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 3 wherein said fingers are curved toward each other from the front to rear thereof so that the free ends of said fingers at the rear thereof are closer together than the engagement surface on said fingers adjacent the front thereof whereat said fingers are secured to said socket body.
 5. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 1 wHerein said bulb socket has an opening at the rear thereof, first and second axial slots extending from the rear opening of said bulb socket axially along the walls of the recess in said bulb socket, said axial slots being partially open to said recess, said first and second electrical contact means being respectively in said first and second axial slots, and a plug in said rear opening.
 6. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 5 wherein said plug is resilient and has lock stops thereon, said lock stops engaging on the interior of said socket body to retain said plug in said rear opening in said socket body.
 7. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 6 wherein a two-conductor electric cord is positioned between said electric contacts and said plug, each of said electric contact means having a sharp point thereon engaging different ones of said conductors in said electric cord, so that said electric cord is maintained in place and in electric contact with said contact means by said plug.
 8. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 7 wherein said second finger is resilient and is integrally formed with said socket body and is secured thereto adjacent the front of said socket body, said first and second fingers when unstressed being spaced from said socket body and from each other.
 9. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 8 wherein said socket body has a second engagement surface thereon facing said second finger and said second finger has an engagement surface thereon facing said second engagement surface on said socket body and said engagement surface on said first finger so that a member can be engaged between said second finger and said second engagement surface on said socket body.
 10. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 9 wherein said fingers are curved toward each other from the front to rear thereof so that the free ends of said fingers at the rear thereof are closer together than the engagement surface on said fingers adjacent the front thereof whereat said fingers are secured to said socket boy.
 11. The bulb socket with hanger of claim 10 wherein a plurality of said bulb sockets are spaced along the length of said electric cord. 